Paper fastener



Sept. 21, 1937' R L 2,093,823

PAPER FASTENER Filed Aug. 8, 1936 Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to paper fasteners designed for holding together letters and other papers in such manner as to permit of additions to or removal from the fastened papers whenever desired.

Various types of fasteners for this purpose have been devised but all of them have been objectionable for one reason or another. The most satisfactory types of fasteners have consisted of a bottom plate having end tongues insertible through a separate top plate and bendable thereover. Two slides have been used on the top plate, one for engaging each of the bent tongues to hold the plates. Because of the additional labor involved in manipulating these slides, however, the users of the fasteners frequently have neglected to place them in fastening positions with the result that the fastened papers have become loose. In some forms of fasteners the top plates have been provided with means for gripping the bent tongues but these too have been objectionable because of the added cost of production and the difficulty in properly placing the tongues in the gripping portions.

An object of the present invention is to greatly simplify the construction of the fastener by utilizing only one slide, it being necessary to secure the end of one tongue only when the fastener is in use.

A further object is to provide a fastener utilizing the minimum amount of metal, thereby reducing the cost of production.

Another object is to provide a fastener the top plate of which cannot be brought into position for securing papers in the fastener, without bending and holding one of the tongues of the fastener so that there remains only one tongue to be held down by the single slide used.

A still further object is to provide simple and efficient means for preventing the slide from becoming separated from the top plate.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of the fastener, the top plate being shown resting on a stack of papers engaged by the fastener but not secured therein, said papers being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 showing the next step in the operation of securing the papers together by means of the fastener.

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing the third and final step of securing the papers with the fastener.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a top plate and its slide.

Figure 5 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line 66, Figure 3.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on line 'l1, Figure 3.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference I designates the bottom plate of the fastener which can be of any desired proportions and is provided at each end with the usual tongues of bendable material. These tongues have been indicated at 2 and 3 respectively.

The top plate 4 is slightly longer than the bottom plate and has a longitudinal channel 5 pressed downwardly thereinto, the width of this channel being substantially equal to the width of the tongues 2 and 3. The side edge portions of the top plate form side flanges 6 and slidable on these flanges so as to bridge the channel 5 is a band 1' constituting a slide. This band has its ends inturned under the flanges 6 as shown at 8 so as to be capable of sliding along the flanges. In order to prevent the slide from becoming detached from the top plate 4, the ends of the two flanges 6 are depressed as indicated at 9, thus forming abutments against which the ends 8 of the slide will rest when the slide is brought to either extreme position on the top plate.

A wide opening it is formed in one end portion of the top plate and extends throughout the width of the bottom of channel 5. This opening therefore is of sufiicient width to receive the tongue 2. The other end of the top plate has the side flanges 6 projecting therefrom to form ears H which are spaced apart a distance equal to or greater than the width of the bottom of channel 5.

In practice the tongues 2 and 3 are inserted through the papers P to be fastened so that their ends will project thereabove as shown in Figure 1. When the papers are ready to be secured, the top plate 4 is placed in an inverted position upon the assembled papers and with tongue 2 extending through the opening ID. This position has been illustrated in Figure 1. The free end of the top plate 4 is then swung upwardly and over toward the projecting end of tongue 7 3. During this movement the projecting end of tongue 2 will be bent downwardly so as to assume a position under the top plate as shown at the leftof Figure 2 while the upwardly projecting end of tongue 3 will assume a position between the projecting ears H as shown in said figure. The user then bends the projecting end of tongue 3 downwardly into channel after which the slide 1 is moved onto the bent end of the tongue as in Figure 3, thereby holding the tongue properly assembled with the top plate. Obviously tongue 2 will likewise be held securely assembled with the top plate and as long as the slide 1 is positioned in Figure 3, there is no danger of the top plate working loose.

It will be noted that the minimum amount of metal is necessary in the construction of this fastening position also serves to bend the tongue 2 so that the one operation not only bends this tongue 2 but also properly positions the plate relative to the tongue 3. In other words the fastening operation comprises the three steps of swinging the top plate 4, bending the tongue 3 and moving the slide 1. This results in a positive fastening of the parts accomplished quickly and efficiently.

What is claimed is:

In a paper fastener a top plate having a 1ongitudinal channel in its top face having a flat bottom and provided with upwardly diverging walls, flat longitudinal flanges extending laterally from the tops of the walls and having downwardly oiTset longitudinal ends forming abutments upon the bottom surfaces of the flanges, an opening in the bottom of the channel close to one end-thereof and extending the width of the bottom of the channel, the length of the opening being approximately equal to the Width thereof, those ends of the flanges remote from the opening being extended beyond the channel to provide spaced ears, and a slide resting flat upon the top faces of the flanges and bridging the channel, said slide having inturned ends slidably engaging the bottom faces of the flanges between the abutments.

JOEL TERRELL. 

